Safety razor and blade magnazine therefor



Feb. 15, l949. E. A. NELSON A 2,461,914

l SAFETY RAZOR AND BLADE MAGAZINE THEREFOR Filed 00;. 1o, 1945l 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR"E AT ORNEY Feb. 15, 1949. E, A, NELSON 2,461,914 I SAFETY RAZOR AND BLADE MAGAZINETHEREFOR Filed Oct. 10, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 73 72- 7l lNvENToR 7 JW@ MU AT1-omg@ Patented Feb. 15, 1949 SAFETY RAZOR AND BLADE MAGAZINE THEREFOR Edgar A. Nelson, New York, N. Y., assignor to American Safety Razor Corporation,

Brooklyn, A

N. Y., a corporation 'of Virginia Application October 10, 1945, Serial No. 621,559

10 Claims.

My present invention relates to a safety razor Y and a blade container for blade placement or replacement in the holden Among the general objects of my invention are:

a new and improved arrangement in a safety razor for facilitating the placement and replacement of the blade; a new and improved blade dispensing container; and a new and improved means whereby a razor and a blade container can be brought into cooperative' relation for dis-:V

pensing blades from the container directly into the razor.

For the attainment of these objects and such other objects as may hereafter appear or be pointed out, I have illustrated an embodiment of my invention wherein: y

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a razor;

Figure 2 is a top plan View thereof, partly broken away;

Figure 3 is a section taken on line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of a blade container with the parts in the position of Figure 7 Figure 6 is a top plan view thereof, with the cover retracted;

Figure '7 is a cross section taken on line l-l of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a cross section taken on line 8 8 of Figure 7 Figure 9 is a top plan view of the container and razor assembled for blade placement; and

Figure 10 is a section taken on line lil-lll of Figure 9.

Figures 1 to 4 illustrate a blade holder made in accordance with my invention. It comprises a blade holding assembly il) and a handle member II of any preferred and desired dimensions and contours (see Figure l). The blade holding assembly in turn is shown as comprised of a sad-- dle member I5 upon which the blade is to be seated and a cap member I6 which holds the blade to its seat.

While the handle member II may be secured to the holder in any preferred or desired manner, Figure 4 shows an arrangement wherein the handle member has one or more upwardly projecting lugs I2 received through an opening or openings provided vertically through the saddle member l5 and enlarged at their upper ends as shown at klf3 and into which enlargements the lug or lugs I2 may be upset, as shown in that ligure, to hold thehandle xed to the saddle with their adjacent faces in abutting relation. v

The saddle may be provided at its forward or front side with guard teeth I8 of any preferred or desired character, kA channel 20 is formed in the upper surface of the saddle and extends for its full length, that is from one end to the other. This channel is defined by side walls 22 and bottom wall 23.

The spaced apartupper surfaces and '2B of the saddle portions?! and 28 at opposite sides of the channel 20 form the seat for the blades B (see Figure 4).

The bladeB which may be either single or double edgedis provided with the slot 'B' (see Figure 2) for cooperation with the means now to be described for locating it on the saddle. While this slot is shown in the drawings `as extending longitudinally of the blade and generally oval shaped, it will be understood that its shape and dimensions as shown in the drawings is merely illustrative. Y

The channel 20 has its bottom 23 provided with a depression 30. Upon comparing Figures 3 and 4 it will be observed thatthis depression is of less length than channel 20 and terminates short of the opposite ends of said channel. Alocating bar 35 is positioned in depression 20. Its conformation and dimensions in horizontal crosssection approximate those of the depression so that it will be free to move vertically in the depression 30, but will be held against lateral or longitudinal movement therein and approximate also these characteristics of slotB' in the blade, so that the locating `bar can be received in the same manner also through that slot. rlhe thickness of the locating bar is shown as greater than the depth of the depression 3l) for reasons shortly to be pointed out.

A leaf spring `35 seated on the bottom of depression 3i) to underlie the locating bar 35 normally holds that bar elevated in the depression (see Figures 3 and 4). The top of the bar 35 is chamfered'of at its opposite ends as shown at 38 preferably for a depth to be referred to shortly. The saddle l5 comprises also the thicker portion 3S to the rear of the blade seat portion 28 and defined by vertical wall 58, elevated horizontal longitudinally extending top surface il, the saddle bottom and the rear and end saddle Walls. The cap member has its rear end depressed or channeled out to leave a vertical wall @Zand an elevated bottom face portion 43. These walls and faces are so dimensioned and related that the rear portions ofthe saddle and `cap intert in the manner shown in Figure 4 and the saddle and cover members are yfixed in this relation, :preferably with their end and rear walls matching, by any preferred or desired means such as of rivets 45.

The cover member I6 is shown in Figure i as extending forwardly from the wall 42 for substantially the full width of the blade. Its lowermost surface which is shown flat x and whose position isxed by the inter-engaging wallsand surfaces 4e, 4|, 42, and 43 is spaced suilciently from'and above the blade seat defined by the spaced apart upper surfaceportions Sendit of the saddle member l5, to permit a blade to `be entered between the cover and saddle members I5 and l5 and to be held closelyionvits seat. This blade receiving space between'- the' saddle seat and the lower surface of the cap member extends for the full length of the holderiandiopens to the exterior through the end walls thereof so 'that a blade can be entered endwise into said' space through either end of the holder until its slot b is: in'vertical registration-with the locating bar 35i whereupon the top ofthe locating barl 35 will enter' .into and engage through this slot. A bladefentered endwise into. said space through Vone' side of an emptyholder will .shortly engage the adjacent chamferedior bevell'edvr top corner portion 38 of the bar 35 and gradually depress vthe bar.` to the'ilev'el ofs'the'lblade-seat portions 25 and'Zlv andiY hold it depressed'as the `blade continueslvto-'advance until it is fully entered into its position of Figure 3 at which point the afore mentionedrregistration is effected. Reference has lbeen: made `to the fact that thespacevprovided for the'blade-A between the saddle and capl members is restrictedv4 to approximately the thickness oi one blade. Asra-result'when the `new blade is entered-intoa holder whereiny ar usedblade-is al- Vready seated, the advanced' end wall of the new `blade will abuttheadjacent-endwallof' the already seated old blade and move rthe old'blade along and out of' theopposite end of` theholder as the Ynew -blade -isentered thereinto'. In this operation, theadjacent end` wall portion of slot Bf of the'old bladewill' engage the aforementioned adjacent bevelled top corner portion 3S= of bar- -35 and depressthe bar and maintain it depressed until the'oldblade-has' been moved beyond the bar. The new bladewhich isl already interposed between the bar -35 and the cap member- I6 will hold the bar-*depressed until' it is fullyentered and the old blade fully ejected.

' Thek parts including the blade are dimensioned and contoured to effect this registration. The parts are also preferably dimensioned so that whenthis registration is effected, the sides of the blade' will register with the side walls of the holder, its rear longitudinal edge will be adjacent wa1l.4|l and the front shaving edge will be located or effective shaving performance whichis determined by the spacing of this edge from the guardand the relation thereto of the cap.

Cover member l5 is shown in FigureA as provided on its under surface with the longitudinally extendingdepression 45 which may also be contoured and dimensioned in horizontal cross section approximately asin the corresponding section through the locating bar 35. Reference has been made to the thickness of this locating bar. This thickness is such that when the bar is elevated by the spring 36 it will engage through the opening B ofv a blade seated onY the saddle for theifullithickness ofthe blade and will extend therebeyond so that its.` upper portion will enter the depressioni46lon the undersur-face of the`- cap 551. This opening 5t is of 458. The top of the container cover in Figures 7 and 8 as defined by side weils 5l and 52, rear and front walls E3 and bottom and and a cover member 55 whose side edges engage in the undercut channels 5l in the side walls, so that the cover can be given a sliding movement to open the container so that it can be relled through the open top. The container is normally closed except Vfor a blade discharging mouth or opening 58 across the upper portion of iront wall a height approximately equal to the thickness of the blade and is oi a width slightly greater than that of the blade so that the blade can be passed therethrough` and from out of the container, without engaging. its cutting. razor edges with the side walls ci mouth is channeled longitudinally thereof as shown at 59 to seat the operating member :'25 of a blade ejector and guide it for sliding movement' toward and away rom mouth 58. A restricted neck portion 58 attached to and depending from operating member engages through slot 5i) formed preferably longitudinally centrally of the channel 5e in cover 5G. The height of this neck portion SG is shown as such that its bottom is below the bottom of the cover. Extending forwardly from its bottom is the pusher nger 61, a thickness and width so that it can enter the exit mouth 58. This finger 57 is spaced below thebottom of the operating meinber 55 for a distance so that when the ejector is moved to its limit to the left the portion 54 of the front wall 54 immediately above the mouth 58'will be received between ringer 6l and the bot tom of the operating member and the ejecting finger G'lwill have entered the mouth t8 to iuliy eject a blade through that mouth.

A stack of blades are held in assembled relation for successive ejection through mouth 58 by an arrangement such as will now be described. This arrangement comprises two pins 'lriveted to the bottoni-50 adjacent opposite ends of the depressed channel 'I2 which extends lengthwise oi the inner surface of the bottom 55. These pins are headed as shown at 1I and the heads are seated on the bottom of this depression l2. The pins 'l0 engage inopening 'l5 spaced apart longitudinally of a blade locating bar 1B and springs 'Il are spiralled around pins 'lil with their lower ends abutting. against the heads 'H of the pins and their upper ends abutting against the bottorn of the locating bar 1B to hold it elevated with its top surface abutting the bottom surface o1" the cover 55. The locating bar 1S is of a width no greater than that of depression 'l2 and is in vertical registration therewith and when elevated terminates above the bottom of the depression 'l2 to an extent which is at least equal to and preferably in excess of the thickness of a blade.

The locating bar 16 is also dimensioned and contoured in horizontal cross section approximately as are the slots of' blade B to be stacked thereon which in the present disclosure are purposefullydesigned to `rit the holder of Figures 1 toe. Figures 7, 8 and 10 show a stack of blades engaged over this locatingbar i6` and held eleof the stacked blade are located a sufficient dislo tance from this rear wall so that the pusher nger @1in its rearmost position of Figure '7, will be in back of the blade stack and upon reference to this figure, it will be observed that the parts are so dimensioned and related that the pushed finger Slis aligned with the topmost blade of Jthe stack. The locating bar 16 has the rear top corner edge bevelled or chamfered off as shown at 85 for the purpose shortly to be explained. l When a blade is to be elected from the container. the member 55 is moved rearwardly to its limit as shown in Figure 7 and is then moved forwardly from that position and in so doing, itsi'lnger (il will engage the topmost blade and push it forwardly. In the initial forward pushA of the blade, the inner or rear wall of its slot B will engage and ride over the bevelled portion 85 of the bar and depress it to the level of the bottom of the finger 6'! and discharge mouth 58.

The intermediate position in this movement is shown in Figure 10. The continued forward movement of operating member 65 in the direction of mouth 58 will push the topmost blade through the mouth 58 and out of the container until the forward end of neck 65 will have engaged the portion of the front wall 54 immediately above mouth 58, and the forward end of the finger 6l will have entered mouth 58 to fully discharge theblade.

Reference has already been made to the fact` that the container has been specially designed to hold blades for use in the holder of Figures 1 to 4. An arrangement will now be described whereby the container can be held aligned with the holder so that a blade ejected therefrom in. the manner already set forth, will be moved directlyinto the holder and in so doing will expel a blade which may already be positioned theres in. This arrangement comprises a lug 9U which projects forwardly from the front wall 54. Thev upper face of this lug forms a continuation of the lower wall of the mouth 58; its width equals that of channel 20 in the holder; its length is no greater than and preferably somewhat less than the distance between either end of channel 20 and the adjacent end of the depression 39 in the channel; and its thickness is approximately equal to the depth of the channel 2D. As a result, when the lug 95 of the blade container is aligned with either end of theI channel 2D of the holder, the

y lug can betentered thereinto through that -end and below a blade that may be seated on the holder saddle.. A forward movement of the operating member of the lcontainer will move the topmost blade through mouth 58 thereof and along the upper surface of the lug 90 to engage its forward edge either with an old blade already the razor, eject it from the holder and seat the new blade, or to engage one of the bevels 38 to depress the locating bar 35. .The full forward throw of operating member will seat the new blade in the holder in the manner above set forth. It will be Aobserved that lug 90 can be entered `into either end of the channel 20 ofv the holder. Up-

served that the container front wall 54 is provided also with forwardly extending lug or platform 92 spaced below lug 90. The upper surface of platform 92 is approximately parallel to the lower surface of lug 95. This spacing of the members 8E! and 92 approximately equals the thickness of the portion of the holder saddle which underlies channel 29 so that when lug 90 is entered into one end of the channel, the upper surface of platform 92 will engage the bottom surface of the saddle. This platform 92 extends for the full width of vthe container and serves as an extended bearing surface to assist in maintaining the container aligned with the holder.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A blade holder comprising a saddle upon which the blade is to be located and a cap overlying said saddle to retain a blade thereon, means to immovably fix said cap to said saddle and space it therefrom to provide a blade receiving space that is open. through both end walls of the holder, said saddle having a depression in its upper face which terminates short of both ends thereof, and a blade locating member seated in said depression having the end portions of its upper surface chamferecl and means for yieldingly elevating said member to a normal position wherein its upper surface is above the level of the top blade seating surface of the saddle and said chamfered end portions intersect the plane of said surface whereby a blade having a locating opening can be entered intov said space through either end of the holder and moved along the saddle to engage the chamfered surface at one end of said locating member to hold it dcpressed until the blade is fully entered into the holder and the blade opening registered with the member which will be free to rise and engage in said blade opening to xedly locate the blade in said space.

2. A blade holder comprising a saddle upon which the blade is to be located and a cap over-- lying said saddle to retain a blade thereon, means to immovably x said cap to said saddle and space it therefrom to provide a blade receiving space that is open through an. end of the holder, said saddle having a depression in its upper face which terminates short of that end, and a blade locating member in said depression having an end portion of its upper surface chamfered and means for yieldingly elevating said member to a normal position wherein its upper surface is above the level of the top blade seating surface of the saddle and said charnfered end portion intersects the plane of that surface, wherebya blade having a locating opening when entered `into said spa-ce through said end of the holder and moved along the saddle to engage said charnfered surface will depress said member until the blade is fully entered and the blade opening registerswith said member which will be free to rise and engage in said blade opening to fixedly locate the blade in said space.

3. A blade holder comprising a saddle upon which the blade vis to be located and a cap overlying said saddle to retain a iblade thereon, means to immovably fix said cap to said saddle and space it therefrom to provide a blade receiving space ythat is open through an end of the holder, said saddle having a depressionin its upper face which terminates short of that end, and a blade locating member in said depression having an end portion of its upper surface chamfered and means for yieldingly elevating said `member to' a normal position wherein` its upper surface iis above .the-level of the top blade seating surface of thesaddle and said chamfered end portion intersects the plane of that surface, whereby a blade having a locating opening when entered intofsaid space through said end of the holder and moved along the saddle .to engage said chamfered surface will depress said member until the blade is fully entered and the blade opening registers withl said member which will be free to rise and engage in said blade opening to fixediy locate the blade in said space, and a depression in the underside of the cap which overlies the first mentioned depression and into which said member engages when it is elevated.

4. In combination, a blade holder saddle having a blade seat provided with a channel extending lengthwise of and coterminous with one end of the saddle, and a blade magazine havi a discharge mouth in one end wall thereof a finger projecting forwardly from said wall. with its top surface on the level with the bottom of the discharge mouth, said finger being of a thickness approximately equal to the depth of the channel, whereby the finger when entered into one end of the channel will present its upper surface on a level with the blade seat and a blade discharged through said mouth will be guided on to the blade seat.

5. A blade magazine having a discharge mouth in one end wall thereof and a finger projecting forwardly from said wall with its top surface on the level with the bottom of the discharge mouth, and a second nger projecting forwardly from said front wall but Spaced below said first ng, whereby a saddle can be engaged in the space be tween the fingers and a blade discharged from the magazine onto the saddle.

6. In combination, a blade holdery saddle having a blade seat provided with a channel extending lengthwise of and coterminous with one end*` thereof, and a blade magazine having a discharge mouth in. one end wall thereof and a pusher slidable along the magazine, said pusher having a forwardly projecting finger to engage in back of and advance a blade from the magazine through said mouth, said finger being dimensioned so that it can pass into said mouth as the pusher is advanced and an elongated member projecting forwardly from said end wall and having its top surface on the level with the bottom of the discharge mouth, said member being of a thickness approximately equal to the depth of the channel, whereby when the member is entered into one end of the channel to present its upper surface on a level with the blade seat, operation of the pusher will expel a blade completely through said opening and onto the blade seat.

'7. In combination, a blade holder saddle having a blade seat provided with a channel extending lengthwise -of and coterminous with one end thereof, and a blade magazine having a discharge mouth in one end wall thereof and a pusher slidable therealong, said pusher having a forwardly projecting finger to engage and advance a blade from the magazine through said mouth, said finger being dimensioned so that it can pass into said mouth and a member projecting forwardly from said wall and having its top surface on the level with the bottom of the discharge mouth, said member being of a thickness approximately equal to the depth of the channel, and a second member projecting forwardly from said end wall and spaced from said first member for` a distance'equal to the thickness of the .the stack and a channeled portionofthe saddle, whereby when the rst mentioned-member is entered into one end of the channel to present its upper surface on a level with the blade seat, said second mentioned member will engage the bottom of the saddle.

8. A blade magazine for holding blades provided with locating openings in stacked relation and for dispensing the topmost blade from the stack, said magazine comprising. a casing and spring means therewithin for normally maintaining a bladeistack with the topmost blade engaged with the undersideof the top wall of the container, means within the container for normallyengaging through the registering openings of the stacked blades for maintaining the blades in predetermined stacked relation within the container, said last-mentioned means comprising a lade locating member and spacedmeans and spring elements for Vnormally maintaining the iocating member elevated and also engaged with the underface of the container top wall, a blade discharge opening in an end Wall of the container of a height approximately equal to the thickness of a single blade, and .positioned on a level with 4the topmost `blade of the stack and a blade expelling member sldable along the container and having a forwardly projecting finger on the level of the blade discharge opening, the top of. said locating member being chamferedat its rear whereby Ithe finger of the blade expelling member can engage in back ofthe topmost blade and push it through the opening as the blade expelling member is advanced to advance. the blade and cause a portion ythereof to engage the chamfered rear end of the locating member and depress it sufficiently so that the blade can be moved thereabove through said discharge opening and outof the container.

9. A blade magazine for holding blades provided with locating openings in stacked relation for dispensing the topmost blade from the stack, said magazine comprising a casing having front, back and side walls anda top wall, and spring means therewithin for normally maintaining a blade stack with the topmost blade with the underside of the top wall of the container, means within the container registering through the openings` of the stacked blades for maintaining the blades in predetermined stacked relation within the container, and with the innermost end of the stack in spaced relation to the rear wall of the container, said last mentioned means comprising a blade locating member and means for normally maintaining the member elevated and also engaged with the underface of the container top wall, a blader discharge opening in the front wall of the container of a height approximately the thickness of a single blade and positioned on a level with the topmost blade of blade expelling member slidable along the container and having a forwardly projecting iinger on the level of the blade discharge opening, the top fof said locating member being chamfered at its rear, the spacing of the rearmost end of the stack from the rear wall of the container being sufficient so that the finger can be moved to a position to the rear of the stack whereby the finger of the blade expelling member when moved to its rearmost position will engage in the rear of the topmost blade and push it through the opening and in so doing will cause a blade portion to engage the chamfered rear end of the locating member to depress that member sufiicently so that the'blade can 'be moved forwardly from its front Wall, said nger being of a thickness approximately equal to the depth of the channel, whereby the dinger when entered into one end of the channel will present its upper l surface on a level With the blade seat.

i EDGAR A. NELSON. No references cited. 

